Once Upon a Time
by Kumori Ryuuzaki
Summary: A/U There's alot of new faces around Kagome's school, and they are all connected somehow. Whether they are good or bad, Kagome has yet to decide, as she figures out her feelings, and discover that their greatest secret lies in her backyard. I/K M/S
1. Anything by Ordinary

AN: Another Inuyasha story! You can call it a high school fic, but it's going to be a   
  
diffrent. I can assure you that.  
  
Summary: A/U It's the middle of the school year, yet there's alot of new faces   
  
around Kagome's school, but they are all connected somehow. What it is, or if it's   
  
good or bad, Kagome has yet to figure out, as she sorts out her feelings, and learn   
  
that their greatest secret lies not only in their identity, but in her backyard. The   
  
question, why they are here, lies in her, and the and the greatest evil of them all. I/K   
  
M/S  
  
Once Upon a Time  
  
by Kumori Ryuuzaki  
  
Chapter One: Not so Ordinary  
  
The day started out so ordinary, that last thing Kagome expected was something odd.  
  
She had woken up late when her cat, Buyo, paounced on her, ran all over the house   
  
at least twice, changed, toss her school stuff into her bag, and hastily ran out, nearly   
  
falling down the stairs trying to run down them. Yes, it was perfectly ordinary.  
  
But it wasn't perfectly ordinary for people to have ears on top of their heads. Better   
  
yet, dog ears. Yes, people do not have fangs, golden catlike eyes, and long silver hair.   
  
And boys usually keep their nail short, and they certainly did not make them sharp.   
  
Or was it natural? Either way, it wasn't normal.  
  
And Kagome expected him to be down right pissed too. Yep, just ready to claw her   
  
guts out with those nails of his. But no, he had to sit there gaping at her in shock.   
  
What was so shocking about running into Kagome Higurashi, the perfectly ordinary   
  
girl with a typical boring life who sucks at geometry? What he trying to do? Catch flies?  
  
And why hadn't she noticed earlier just how cute his ears were?  
  
"Anou..." Kagome couldn't think of anything to say. They boy's face then formed into  
  
a scowl, stood up and grabbed his hat and put it back on his head. He then stalked off   
  
muttering something about "stupid wenches".  
  
Kagome just sat there and blinked. What's HIS problem?  
  
"Kagome-chan!"  
  
Kagome stood up and turned around to face Ayumi, Yuka, and Eri, her three best   
  
friends. "Hey."  
  
"Why were you on the floor?" Yuka asked, picking up Kagome's bag from the floor   
  
and handing it to her.  
  
"Thanks," Kagome mumbled. "I ran into some strange guy, that's all. He had dog   
  
ears..."  
  
"Dog ears?" Eri asked. "I don't know about that, but there's this strange guy who just   
  
sent Hojo to a hospital!"  
  
Kagome knew she should worried and panic, but she couldn't help but feel a bit   
  
releived. No more Hojo giving her gifts, asking her out, NOTHING! But he was hurt,   
  
and probably pretty badly if he was in a hospital. She was worried about him, of   
  
course, but a bit releived.  
  
"Is he okay?" Kagome asked.  
  
Ayumi shrugged. "Dunno. But you should've seen it! It was amazing! That guy was   
  
so fast! In less than a minute, he had Hojo knocked out, covered in bruises, two black  
  
eyes, a broken leg, and several cracked ribs!"  
  
Kagome winced. She definatly felt sorry for Hojo. She hate to be in his place.   
  
"Uh...right...let's get to class..."  
  
Her three friends nodded, and, with Kagome, went on to their homeroom, only   
  
stopping to pick up books and stuff from their lockers.  
  
"Did you see the new history teacher?" Yuka asked as they reached homeroom.   
  
"She's old, and missing an eye!"  
  
"Is that so?" Kagome said, about to walk over to her seat, but stopped when she   
  
noticed a fidgetting girl she had never seen before in her seat, her bookbag sitting on   
  
the desk.  
  
"Anou...excuse me," Kagome said to the girl, but the girl jumped and started   
  
muttering.  
  
"Errr...this your seat? Sorry, I'll go to another seat," she mumbled, who's eyes   
  
constantly moving from Kagome to the door. She stood up, but Kagome shook her   
  
head.  
  
"No, it's okay," Kagome said, settling her bookbag down on the table next to the girl.   
  
"I sit there all the time anyways." She looked around for Ayumi, Yuka, and Eri, but   
  
there was no sign of them. "Crap, where'd they go?"  
  
"Who?" the girl asked, curiously, her earlier uneasiness forgotten.  
  
"My friends," Kagome answered absently. "Oh well, I'm Kagome Higurashi." she   
  
said, grinning at the girl.  
  
"Sango," the girl grinned back.  
  
"So, you're new, right?" Kagome asked. "Is that why you looked so nervous?"  
  
"Yes, I'm new," Sango asnwered. "But it isn't why I'm nervous. I'm more nervous for  
  
my friends..."  
  
"Firends?" Kagome blinked. She never thought Sango would make friends so fast.   
  
And more than one at that!  
  
"Yeah, they're new here," Sango said. "Those bakas are already in trouble."  
  
"Really? They must be the mischeivious type," Kagome muttered.  
  
"Well, you can consider Miroku that. Inuyasha's just grouchy," Sango shrugged.   
  
"Miroku's a pervert, and Inuyasha just likes to beat people up."  
  
Kagome blinked again. "You must have strange friends..."  
  
Sango shrugged. "My whole family and all my friends are strange somehow. It's no   
  
big deal."  
  
"Mmm," Kagome opened her bookbag to take out the needed items. "My friends are   
  
nice, but nosy."  
  
"Inuyasha and Miroku may the most annoying idiots you'll ever meet, but they're   
  
really nice in the inside," Sango said thoughtfully. "But don't let Inuyasha know I said   
  
that."  
  
At the moment the door opened and two boys walked in, one looked postively happy,   
  
and the other looked down right pissed. And the downright pissed one was the boy   
  
Kagome had ran into earlier that morning. His nose moved, like he was sniffing the   
  
air, and turned to glare holes into her skull.  
  
When the overly cheerfull boy spotted Sango, his grin widened and he rushed to her   
  
side, and soon had her hands in his.  
  
"Why, Sango-chan, so lovely to have you in my class!" he said, flashing a charming   
  
smile at Sango.  
  
Sango slapped him. "YOu've known for a week already that we have the exact same  
  
schedule, you lunatic!" Sango snapped. She looked at Kagome. "Anyways, these are   
  
my friends. That's Inuyasha," she pointed at the glaring boy, "and he's," she pointed at  
  
the boy with a slap mark on his face, "Miroku the pervert."  
  
"Sango!" Miroku gasped, in what Kagome thought was way too dramatic. "How can   
  
you think so low of me?"  
  
Inuyasha just glared at Miroku, and Sango slapped Miroku again. Kagome just stared.  
  
"Anyways, this is Kagome," Sango said, motioning to Kagome.  
  
Miroku just stared at her for a minute or two, and Inuyasha just snorted and looked   
  
away.  
  
Kagome was getting nervous with Miroku staring at her like that. "Eh...is something   
  
wrong?" she asked Miroku.  
  
Miroku blinked and shook his head. "No, of course not. Just never thought I meet   
  
such a lovely young woman so soon," he answered, taking her hands, but soon let go   
  
because Sango had smacked him.  
  
"Miroku! Stay away from Kagome!" Sango snapped. "And keep your hands to   
  
yourself before I cut your hands off!"  
  
Miroku just nodded weakly, and rubbed his sore cheeks. "Sango! Have I ever told   
  
you how hard you can hit? It makes me think twice..."  
  
Inuyasha snorted. "....suuuuuuure..." He then muttered, "Like you even think."  
  
"Miroku, just shut up," Sango hissed. "Before I find a creative way to get rid of your   
  
leachery! You will help, won't you Inuyasha?"  
  
Inuyasha nodded. "Mhm. For trying to poision me..."  
  
"I wasn't poisioning you!" Miroku cried. "It was just a sandwhich..."  
  
"How can you screw up on a sandwhich?" Kagome asked curiously.  
  
Sango shrugged. "Ask Miroku. He's the master of screwing up on sandwhiches... but   
  
he can make everything else."  
  
"Am not!" Miroku cried indignantly. "I can make a decent sandwhich...!"  
  
"Which you have yet to prove," said a deep, cool voice from the doorway. Miroku,   
  
Sango, and Kagome jumped in surprise, but Inuyasha looked unfazed. The man who   
  
spoke was tall, and looked somewhat similar to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango.   
  
I need to talk to you outside for a minute," he said.  
  
Sango and Miroku nodded, Inuyasha just glared at him. THe followed him out the   
  
door, and the exact moment, Ayumi, Yuka, and Eri came in.  
  
"Kagome-chan!" Ayumi squealed. "You talked to them!"  
  
"Huh?" Kagome was confused. Very confused.  
  
"Those two guys!" Yuka answered. "The boy with the pigtail and the one with the   
  
cool long white hair!"  
  
"Huh? Miroku and Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.  
  
"So that's their names!?" Eri asked excitedly. "Oooh, you're so lucky Kagome!"  
  
"I am?" Kagome titled her head to the side. So she met them and know their names.   
  
Big deal.  
  
Ayumi rolled her eyes. "Anyways, the white haired one was the one that beated Hojo   
  
up!"  
  
Kagome didn't say anything and looked at her bookbag on her desk. Inuyasha came   
  
across to her as a rude, arragont, egoistic, heartless jerk, but as Sango said, she was   
  
postive that in the inside, he was really nice and caring. She noticed the look in his   
  
eyes whenever he looked at her. They almost look...dunno...sad... But the question is,  
  
why?   
  
Did her face remind him of something he rather not remember?  
  
~*~  
  
The rest of the day went without going wrong. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango's   
  
schedules were the exact same as Kagome's, which she found really wierd, but she   
  
didn't mind. She learned that the man that wanted to talk to Inuyasha, Miroku, and   
  
Sango was Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha's older half brother and they absoletly hate each   
  
other. They had a new history teacher and a new school nurse, and a bunch of other   
  
people Kagome had never seen before. And Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango all knew   
  
them well enough to give them pet names.  
  
It was the end of the school day, and Kagome was packing everything she needed   
  
and put what she didn't need away, thinking about the three new students. She had to  
  
admit, they were a bit...weird...in a sense. Sango was a bit on the tomboyish side, and  
  
was pretty violent around Miroku, especially when he was flirting with other girls.   
  
Miroku seems oblivious to Sango's "jealousy", as Inuyasha had put it, and was indeed,  
  
a pervert. Inuyasha, however, was quiet around her, and seemed to be almost   
  
avoiding her. She had wonder how Miroku dealt with Inuyasha and Sango's violence,  
  
and tendencies to give him black eyes.  
  
Walking to the school door, Kagome passed Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku together at   
  
a corner, whispering among themselves. She felt like they were up to something, but   
  
had no proof. Ignoring them, Kagome was about to exit the building when Sango   
  
called out, "Kagome!"  
  
Kagome stopped, and turned to look at Sango who was now right behind her. "Hello,   
  
Sango."  
  
Sango nodded. "So, are you going home?"  
  
"Mhm," Kagome answered. "I need to finish my homework."  
  
"Oh," Sango seemed a bit disappointed. "I was wondering if you were willing to work  
  
on homework with us. We're a bit behind..."  
  
"Well, since it's for studying and homework, I geuss..." Kagome murmured. It wasn't   
  
a bad idea, actually, studying with her newly found friends.   
  
"Great!" Sango exclaimed. "We were going to a cafe to get some food while we   
  
study, but we can go somewhere else..."  
  
Kagome shook her head. "No, it's okay."  
  
"Really? Great!" Sango said happily.  
  
~*~  
  
The next thing Kagome knew, she found herself sharing a booth with Sango, Miroku,  
  
and Inuyasha at a Cafe, books and papers spread all over the table, and a pencil in   
  
one hand, and a milkshake in the other.  
  
"Mmmm." Kagome stared at her history homework like it was pure evil. She was   
  
supposed to give a report on what she knew on the Shikon no Tama, and all she   
  
knew was that it was a sphere. Maybe she'll save it for home so she could squeeze   
  
information out of her grandfather...  
  
"Oi, Kagome," Inuyasha said suddenly. "What are you on?"  
  
"History," Kagome sighed. "I hate history."  
  
"Huh? History homework was dead easy!" Sango said, tapping her pencil against her  
  
chin and eating french fries.   
  
"I finished it in class," Miroku stated, and Inuyasha nodded.  
  
Kagome groaned. "Great, I'm the only one who sucks at this subject! Can anyone   
  
lend me a hand here?"  
  
Inuyasha grabbed a book from his bookbag and shoved it into Kagome's face   
  
wordlessly, before going back to his biology homework, looking as if he was resisting   
  
the urge to rip his homework into shreds.  
  
Kagome took the book and looked through it. It was a notebook, with what looked   
  
like Inuyasha's handwriting, with a bunch of stuff about demons, and several pages   
  
about the Shikon no Tama. There was also stuff about things like legendary weapons,   
  
curses, legends, mikos, and junk like that.  
  
"Where did you get all this information?" Kagome asked in awe, flipping through the   
  
pages.   
  
Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango exchanged looks, before Miroku said smoothly, "You   
  
can say, we're into history."  
  
"Really?" Kagome asked, never taking her eyes off the pages. "There's stuff in here   
  
I'll bet my grandfather never heard of! Kanna's Mirror...? What the heck?   
  
Tetsusaiga? Tensaiga? What the heck are those...? Oooh, the Bone-Eater's Well is in   
  
my backyard! Kappa of the North? Who's the Dark Miko of Mt. Fuji?"  
  
Inuyasha snorted. "Would you stop asking questions if you don't expect an answer?"  
  
"Sorry," Kagome muttered. "Why do you even have this?"  
  
Inuyasha stayed silent for a moment, before he said gruffily, "Because I can."  
  
"That really doesn't make much sense," Kagome stated.  
  
"Whatever. Does anyone get number 16 on the math homework? I keep getting   
  
diffrent answers..."  
  
~*~  
  
It was almost dinner time, and the group were full of food, milkshakes, icecream, and  
  
soda, and not to mention they finished all their homework. Nothing much was   
  
happening, except Inuyasha and Miroku were fighting over the last of the french   
  
fries. And now Inuyasha was happily lounging on the booth he shared with Kagome,   
  
munching on french fries, while Miroku was in dreamland.  
  
"I have to get going soon," Kagome said, standing up. "My mom wants me home for   
  
dinner, despite the fact I can't eat any more..."  
  
"We'll walk you there," Sango said.  
  
"I don't want to be a bother...."  
  
"We live in the same direction you live in," Inuyasha shrugged. "You wouldn't mind   
  
keeping Miroku over at your house, would you?"  
  
Kagome blinked. He used to act like he was avoiding her, and know he wasn't. To   
  
put it mildly, she was confused. Very confused.  
  
"Inuyasha! I highly doubt her mom would let a male friend spend the night!" Sango   
  
exclaimed. "Besides, what about our little....erm...reunion thing?"  
  
"Keh," Inuyasha continued to shove french fries into his mouth. When he was done,   
  
he collected all his stuff, and said, "Well, let's go!"  
  
Kagome and Sango nodded and got up, and packed their things.  
  
"What about Miroku?" Kagome asked. "We're not leaving him here, are we?"  
  
"Let's leave him here," Sango suggested. "He'll live. If he doesn't grope anyone, he'll   
  
be home in one peice."  
  
"If you're so worried, we'll call you," Inuyasha shrugged. "Let's hurry up. It's getting   
  
dark."  
  
Sango smirked, and followed him out the door. "Oh? Since when did you care if it   
  
was dark or not?"  
  
"I don't." Inuyasha pulled out a five dollar bill. "Oh yeah, Sesshoumaru told me to get   
  
some candy for what's-her-face. Should I or should I not?"  
  
"Who? Rin?" Sango asked.  
  
"I think you should," Kagome said. "It would be nice afterall..."  
  
"Then I won't," Inuyasha stated, shoving the bill into his pocket and walking off.  
  
Sango shook her head and followed Inuyasha. Kagome was about to do the same,   
  
but stopped, when she felt a strange presence. She didn't know what it was, but she   
  
knew it was coming towards her.  
  
And fast.  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
AN: You actually read this? Yay!  
  
Please review and tell me what you think and if I should continue!  
  
~Kumori Ryuuzaki 


	2. Something's Up

AN: Second chap. Enjoy.  
  
Summary: A/U It's the middle of the school year, yet there's alot of new faces around Kagome's school, but they are all connected somehow. What it is, or if it's good or bad, Kagome has yet to figure out, as she sorts out her feelings, and learn that their greatest secret lies not only in their identity, but in her backyard. The question, why they are here, lies in her, and the and the greatest evil of them all. I/K M/S  
  
Once Upon a Time  
  
by Kumori Ryuuzaki  
  
Last Time: Sango shook her head and followed Inuyasha. Kagome was about to do the same, but stopped, when she felt a strange presence. She didn't know what it was, but she knew it was coming towards her.  
  
And fast.  
  
Chapter Two: Something's Up  
  
Trying to ignore that particular feeling, she truned around to follow Inuyasha and Sango, but stopped. Sango was looking around wildly, and Inuyasha just stood his ground, sharply looking ahead, looking downright pissed.  
  
And she'd bet anything he was.  
  
"Errr...Inuyasha, Sango?" Kagome said softly.  
  
She was taken back when Sango put a finger to her lips and whispered, "Shhh!" and Inuyasha hissed at her to be quiet.  
  
Kagome stood silently behind Inuyasha, wondering what the heck was going on. Before she knew what was happening, Inuyasha had shoved Kagome in front of him, and she saw darkness, but not before she felt a tap and saw something like a mutated centipede in front of her.  
  
~*~  
  
"...once again, the jewel was complete and Midoriko could rest in peace. The End."  
  
"I like that story."  
  
"Mmm."  
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
"Otou-chan, was it lonely for him while he grew up?"  
  
"Yes. They were rather predijuce, when it came to his kind."  
  
"He can't help being who he is! It's unfair!"  
  
"Life isn't fair. But you are right, it isn't."  
  
"I like to meet him one day..."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Inuyasha..."  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome wearily opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was...amber eyes...?  
  
"Oi, Kagome," Inuyasha said softly. "You're awake now?"  
  
Kagome yawned, and sat up, rubbing her eyes. She then took a look around her current surroundings, and she was definately not home. "Anou...Inuyasha, where am I?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, you're in my apartment," Inuyasha answered, shrugging his shoulders.  
  
"Eh???" Kagome knew she was blushing a bit, her cheeks were very warm. What was she doing in a guy's apartment?? And Inuyasha no less.  
  
"I wonder what happened to Miroku and Sango," Inuyasha muttered, glacing at the door. "They should be here by now..."  
  
"Miroku and Sango?" Kagome asked.  
  
INuyasha nodded. "They're my roommates. They went grocery shopping three hours ago. It doesn't take that long to grab some food and pay for it!!"  
  
Kagome stayed silent for awhile thinking. What the heck happened? She was at a cafe with Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango, then Inuyasha and Miroku fought over french fries, Inuyasha won by knocking Miroku out, she, Sango, and Inuyasha exited the cafe, and then...it was a bit blurry from there. What happened? She thought hard. Some thing was coming, and then...she was here. No wait...there was a mutated centapede thing...or was it a worm?  
  
"Inuyasha," she said, getting fed up with her blurry memories. "What happened? How'd I get here?"  
  
"Huh?" Inuyasha looked at her. "Oh, we...we got attacked by muggers."  
  
"Muggers?" Kagome asked, baffled. What does that have to do with all those mutated bugs she saw? And then, for the first time, she noticed that Inuyasha had very sharp looking teeth, almost like fangs.  
  
Wait a sec.  
  
FANGS???  
  
"Yeah, we were walking home after me and Miroku's fight over french fries, and we got attacked by muggers," Inuyasha saw, sounding more confidently. "You got knocked out from behind. It seems he found a way to knock you out with meaning to."  
  
"...." Kagome didn't say anything for awhile, then said very, VERY softly, "I felt something coming in when we were fighting and that same presence...is...over on that fireplace!!" Kagome looked at the mantle, on the other side of the room, at the corner of her eyes.  
  
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in concentration for a minute, before grinning weakly, "That's interesting..."  
  
Kagome blinked. "Eh??" He heard her?? How? SHe could barely hear herself!  
  
Inuyasha nodded and went to pick up the only object on the mantle, a small, slim, pink shard. He took Kagome's hand and placed the shard there. However, Kagome fidgeted when the shard first made contact to her palm. Though she had no idea why.  
  
INuyasha seemed to notice though, but he didn't say anything, but looked at her closely, eyes once again narrowed in concentration. "Kagome, have you ever heard of the Shikon shards?"  
  
Kagome shook her head. "Nope." What was he getting at?  
  
"Mmmm," Inuyasha frowned, and was about to say something, but the sound of a door opening interupted, and Miroku's voice floated in.  
  
"Damn you Inuyasha!! Why do you have to so much ramen?? I think my arms are falling off..."  
  
"Baka! Shut up and hurry!" came Sango's pissed voice.  
  
Both Sango and Miroku came into view--Sango was carring tons of plastic bags filled with food, while Miroku carried several boxes, all labeled ramen.  
  
They must like instant ramen.  
  
"INUYASHA!!" Miroku whined. "Help me~ ~!!"  
  
Inuyasha leapt over the couch to save the ramen when Miroku collasped under the tremendous weight of the boxes combined. Effortlessly, Inuyasha caught the boxes that were falling.  
  
"Stupid bozou!" Inuyasha snarled. "Watch it!"  
  
"Calm down Inuyasha," Sango commanded, after dropping the grocery bags onto the kitchen table. She looked at Kagome. "So, you're awake now." She smiled and looked at her hand. "What'd you got there?"  
  
"Huh?" Kagome lifted her palm up to Sango. "Some shard thing Inuyasha handed me."  
  
Sango shot a look to Inuyasha and he nodded.  
  
Kagome looked back and forth at Inuyasha and Sango, and their little exchange. WHAT THE HECK WAS GOING ON???  
  
Miroku got up, and went into the small hallway in the apartment. "I'm gonna chang..."  
  
"NO!" Inuyasha and Sango shouted together, but Miroku had already opened the door, and something had bounced out and tackled Miroku to the ground, furiously licking his face.  
  
"GAH!" Miroku shouted. "Getitoff! Getitoff! Getitoff!"  
  
"It was your fault!" Sango shouted at Miroku, while Inuyasha effortlessly lifted the creature, which happened to be what looked like a golden retreiver pup, off of Miroku. "You idiot!"  
  
Kagome watched the pup in Inuyasha's arm squirm and cover his face in dog saliva.  
  
"Damn thing," Inuyasha muttered, holding the pup at arm's lengh away. "Stop licking me, damnit!"  
  
Kagome giggled. "I didn't know you had a dog!"  
  
"It's more like Rin's dog," Sango answered. "Sesshoumaru gave him to her."  
  
"And he says I'm growing weak," Inuyasha mutters. "I just save your ass, he gives her stuff and saves her ass. I should be calling him weak.Damn hypocryte."  
  
"Eh..." Okay, so Kagome didn't get alot of things, but this she was flat out confused. What about growing weak?  
  
"DOn't mind him," Sango said. "Happens all the time."  
  
Kagome nodded. And then she abruptly stood up, shreiking, "OH NO!!!"  
  
Inuaysha cringed and accidently dropped the dog to plug his sore ears, and Miroku and Sango stared at her.  
  
"I HAVE TO BE HOME FOR DINNER!!!" Kagome screamed. "AND IT'S EIGHT!!"  
  
"Don't worry, Miroku already told your parents that you might be late," Sango said.  
  
"Yeah, it was easy," Miroku smirked. "YOu got such a carefree mom, I wish I had a mom was like that..." His smirk faded, and he got a far away look on his face. "...yeah...that would be nice..."  
  
"If I had a mom, I guess a mom who doesn't worry too much," Sango said softly, also getting a far away look on her face. "Of course, I dun want her totally careless, but not care too much..."  
  
Inuyasha eyes darted from Miroku to Sango before sighing loudly. "You guys are too damn dramatic."  
  
"Eh? Why are they like that?" Kagome asked, looking from Miroku to Sango. "Is something wrong?"  
  
Inuyasha shrugged. "They both never had a mother. I guess they're dreaming up their own 'perfect' mom."  
  
Kagome looked curiously at him. "What about you?"  
  
"Huh? Me?" Inuyasha shrugged. "I never really had much of a mom. Well, I had more of a mom than a dad."  
  
"SOrry," Kagome felt her cheeks warm and looked down at the floor. She felt..all...wierd...  
  
Inuyasha shrugged again. "I don't mind."  
  
Kagome stood up. "I guess I should be going now."  
  
Inuyasha nodded, and Sango and Miroku snapped out of their trance, and stared intently at Inuyasha.   
  
Inuyasha glared at them "Waddya want, NOW?"  
  
"Escort her, idiot," Miroku answered, unimpressed. "Duh, it's late at night, and, with no offense to her, she can't defend herself very well when it comes to rapists and muggers, ya know."  
  
"Well, I don't know exactly where my home is," Kagome said slowly. "I've never been around here."  
  
"What are you waiting for?" Sango asked impatiently, shoving Inuyasha and Kagome out the door. "Walk her home, you moronic jerk."  
  
The door slammed closed in their faces. Well, Kagome thought, that was...pleasant.  
  
"If you wanted a private make-out session with Miroku, all you have to do was ask!" Inuyasha shouted through the door.  
  
There was a crash, and a scream of "Inuyasha you stupid jerk!".  
  
Inuyasha snickered, and walked off to the elevator, motioning Kagome to follow him.  
  
~*~  
  
The walk to the Higurashi Jinja was quiet, mostly spent Kagome trying to keep up with Inuyasha's fast pace. He didn't seem to notice until, about halfway there, when he turned around to see Kagome at a jogging pace, breathing hard.  
  
Inuyasha sighed in anoyance. "God, could you be any slower?"  
  
Kagome glared at him. He was walking too fast to be walking! "Sorry for trying to keep up! YOu might as well be running!" she snapped.  
  
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I was not going fast."  
  
"You are too!" Kagome argued back. "You're walking fast as an average jogging person!"  
  
Inuyasha just snorted and continued walking, but, to Kagome's releif, he was walking alot slower. They continued to walk in silence, until the reached the jinja, where Souta was anxiously pacing in front of the house. He looked up to the sounds of foot steps, and squealed when he spotted Kagome and Inuyasha.  
  
"Kagomeneechan!" Souta shouted, tackling Kagome who would've fell back if Inuyasha didn't catch her with one arm.  
  
Souta let go and stepped back. "Err...sorry..."  
  
Kagome got back her balance and nodded. "S'okay."  
  
Souta looked at Inuyasha. "Who's he?"  
  
Inuyasha stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked away. "Inuyasha," he mumbled.  
  
"Cool name!" Souta exclaimed. He tugged on a lock of silver hair. "Is this...natural...?"  
  
Inuyasha scowled, and tugged his hair away from Souta before glaring at him. "Yes it's natural!" he said irratably. "It all is!"  
  
Souta opened his mouth to say something, but Mrs. Higurashi came running out and and squeezed Kagome to death, sobbing.  
  
"Kagome!" she sobbed. "I'm so glad you're okay! One of your friends called and told me what happened! You're not injured are you?"  
  
Kagome slowly pried her mother's arms off of her. "I'm okay, mama."  
  
Mrs. Higurashi let go of her daughter and turned to Inuyasha and smiled. "You must be Inuyasha the boy on the phone told me about."  
  
"Errr...yeah," Inuyasha mumbled, looking away, looking a bit nervous.  
  
Kagome tilted her head to the side a bit. Why was he acting all nervous? It was a bit of a surprise. She had been expecting him to be more unmodest about it.  
  
"Yeah!" Souta cheered. "Took about dozen of them out single-handedly!"  
  
Inuyasha sweatdropped. "...riiight..."  
  
Kagome eyed him. She felt like he was hiding something. But what?  
  
Inuyasha cleared his throat. "I'll be going now. Bye!" he ran off towards the direction of the apartment he shared with his best friends.  
  
Kagome, Souta, and Mrs. Higurashi blinked. "Well, that was abrupt," Mrs. Higurashi said. She smiled at Kagome. "I'm sure you're hungry?"  
  
Kagome nodded eagerly and ran inside, wanting to be fed.  
  
~*~  
  
The next day was bright and cheerfull, and Kagome somehow managed to get up early. The type of day where nothing could go wrong, but when she got to the school, she knew something was gonna go wrong.  
  
There was a crowd of people. Anxious to see hwat has happened, she pushed her way towad the attractions and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw it. Inuyasha and a boy she had never seen, were fighitng. Miroku, Sango, and Sesshoumaru were watching, Miroku and Sango were pleading with Inuyasha to stop, and Sesshoumaru just stood there.  
  
Kagome shoved her way to Miroku and Sango and asked frantically, "What's going on?"  
  
"Inuyasha and Kouga are fighting," Sango answered worriedly. "Damn, they're gonna kill each other!"  
  
"Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted. "Kouga! Stop fighting, you stupid gits!!"  
  
Inuyasha and Kouga paid no heed to them, and continue to beat the lights out of each other.  
  
Until Kagome felt something. The same presence she felt back before the "muggers" attacked. Only the presence was slightly larger. Not to mention she felt something, it was twisted, and she had impression whatever that was giving off the engergy was pure evil. And it made her feel slightly woozy.  
  
About the same time Kagome felt this, Sesshoumaru, Miroku, and Sango were staring up ahead in the direction of the strange presence, looking slightly ticked.. Inuyasha and Kouga stopped fighting, and said simultaneously, "Shit."  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
AN: I'm on a writer's block on Hardly There. Dammit, I can't think of anything. It really doesn't help when I have three other story ideas just begging to be typed. Dammit.  
  
Reviews:  
  
Morlana: So you noticed! But exactly what they're hiding, you'll find out soon. If not the next chapter, and the chapter after.   
  
Ryasha, Kagome-Chan14: Thank you for reading and reviewing!  
  
Kumori Ryuuzaki 


	3. The Fan and the Mirror

Summary: A/U It's the middle of the school year, yet there's alot of new faces around Kagome's school, but they are all connected somehow. What it is, or if it's good or bad, Kagome has yet to figure out, as she sorts out her feelings, and learn that their greatest secret lies not only in their identity, but in her backyard. The question, why they are here, lies in her, and the and the greatest evil of them all. I/K M/S  
  
Once Upon a Time  
  
by Kumori Ryuuzaki  
  
Last Time: Inuyasha and Kouga paid no heed to them, and continue to beat the lights out of each other.  
  
Until Kagome felt something. The same presence she felt back before the "muggers" attacked. Only the presence was slightly larger. Not to mention she felt something, it was twisted, and she had impression whatever that was giving off the engergy was pure evil. And it made her feel slightly woozy.  
  
About the same time Kagome felt this, Sesshoumaru, Miroku, and Sango were staring up ahead in the direction of the strange presence, looking slightly ticked.. Inuyasha and Kouga stopped fighting, and said simultaneously, "Shit."  
  
Chapter Three: The Fan and the Mirror  
  
Kagome looked at the clearly ticked off group curiously. Why were they looking like they could rip someone's head off?  
  
Abruptly, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Kouga seemlingly disappeared into thin air, and several blurs streaked past her. Miroku and Sango took off after them. Kagome was about to follow out of curiousity, when someone put their hand on her shoulder. Kagome turned and squeaked when she saw who it was.  
  
It was the goddamn principal.  
  
And she noticed a notebook on the ground with Sango's name on it.  
  
And then she noticed that only she and the principal were in the front yard.  
  
And she was twenty minutes late.  
  
Joy.  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome was pissed. She had gotten detention for the rest of the week! And then her mind went back to when Miroku, Sango, Sesshoumaru, Kouga, and Inuyasha took off--it was as if they could sense the principal deciding to go on a walk! The nerve!  
  
Kagome was snapped out of her thoughts, when she saw Miroku and Sango frantically run out into a pharmacy and into some other random store, carrying a plastic bags.   
  
What were they up to, and why did they seem so scared?  
  
She was gonna pay them a visit.  
  
And Sango's notebook was the perfect excuse.  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome had made it up to the fifth floor and was now standing outside their door. She discovered that if she put her ear to the door, she could hear talking.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, can you smell anything?" came Sango's voice.  
  
"Besides blood and that revolting herb stuff? No, it's clogging up my nose," Sesshoumaru had answered.  
  
"Inuyasha, hold still!" came a voice of an old woman, who sounded eerily similar to Kaede-sensei.  
  
"Itai!! Damnit, baba!" Inuyasha cursed. "Damn, that fucking stings!"  
  
"Inuyasha!" Miroku scolded. "Don't curse in front of Rin!"  
  
"What does fucking mean?" came a little girl's voice.  
  
"Don't say that word," Sesshoumaru replied. "It's a bad word."  
  
"Okay, Sesshoumaru-sama!"  
  
Kagome took her ear off the door and inhaled and exhaled deeply. She lifted a hand to knock, but the door was swung open and Sango ran into her.  
  
"K..k..kagome...?" Sango stuttered, before hurriedly turning around and slamming the dor shut. SHe turned back. "It's...um...nice to see you..." Sango said nervously. "So, umm...what are you doing here?"  
  
Yup, she was definately hiding something. Why else would she be so nervous sounding?  
  
"I thought I visit," Kagome answered. SHe pulled out Sango's notebook. "This is yours, right?"  
  
"Err...right!" Sango took the notebook. "Is there anything you--um...want?"  
  
"No, I'd just thought I'd come by," Kagome shrugged. "Why, is everyone busy or something?"  
  
Sango nodded furiously. "Everyone's busy, but umm...in a few days, we should all be free for whatever."  
  
Kagome raised an eyebrow. Sango wasn't that bad at lying, was she?  
  
"Family buisness," she said quickly. "Yes...family stuff..."  
  
Kagome blinked. "Why, are you all related some how?"  
  
"No...er...all our family is in Canada," Sango said quickly. She looked back at the door, and there was a loud thud. "I gotta go, see ya!" she ran back inside, slamming the door shut.  
  
Yes, she was hiding something. She'd bet her shrine Sango was. And beleive it, she didn't really want to lose the shrine anytime soon.  
  
Her grandpa would kill her.  
  
And that shrine had her damn house.  
  
~*~  
  
In the next few days, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, Sango, Miroku, and Kouga came back to school. Miroku got a broken arm, and Inuyasha just looked like he had a fever. Kagome had mentioned this to Inuyasha, but it only ended up in an argument and them pissed at each other. Needless to say, it was pointless.  
  
She was getting way too suspicious. Occasionly they be in a small group whispering. Whatever they were trying to hide, they weren't doing a very good job on it.  
  
It was lunch time, and Kagome, and Inuyasha were sharing a table, waiting for Sango and Miroku. Kagome nearly jumped when Sango decided to sneak up on her, while Inuyasha seemed unfazed, still devouring his lunch.  
  
"Big news Kagome!" Sango said, a bit nervous. "Well, we've got something to tell you after school at our apartment..."  
  
Inuyasha nearly choked on his lunch. "TODAY????"  
  
"It was agreed yesterday, Inuyasha," Miroku said calmly. "Weren't you listening?"  
  
Inuyasha let out a "keh" and started to devour the rest of his lunch.   
  
"Sure," Kagome said. "I'll be there after I finish detention."  
  
"Great!" Sango and Miroku took a seat, and started a conversation with Inuyasha like nothing had happened at all.  
  
Maybe they had practice...?  
  
~*~  
  
Kagome was anxiously jogging to the apartment Inuyasha and co. shared, eager to know what the heck was happening.  
  
When she got to the door however, she saw Sango patiently waiting at the door. When Sango spotted her, she opened the door and motioned her to follow her. When Kagome got inside, she noticed six people sitting all around the apartment and a green toad. They were all wearing old fashion type of clothes, the type that came from the Sengoku Jidai, and even noticed Sango was also wearing a kimono for the first time. Inuyasha was hatless and had cute furry dog ears, while Sesshoumaru looked the same except for the markings on his face. There was a kawaii little boy with red hair, pointed ears, and a fluffly fox tail. Kouga also had a tail.  
  
"Ummm..." Kagome started slowly. "...okay...Does anyone want to explain?"  
  
The whole group stayed silent for awhile, until Miroku cleared his throat and stood up. "Just look at us. You'll get a good idea what we are and what we do for a living."  
  
Kagome looked around. Nothing seemed to out of place, until she noticed the monk robes Miroku was wearing. "You've got to be kidding."  
  
Miroku blinked. "Kidding? What makes you think I am kidding?"  
  
"YOu can't be a monk!" Kagome shouted.  
  
Miroku frowned, and he could very well hear the snickering from his friends. "I am too!" he said, clearly insulted.  
  
"But since when were monks perverts?" Kagome asked.  
  
"I'll have you know I am no diffrent than my forefathers," Miroku said stiffly.  
  
"In other words," Inuyasha said coolly, "he comes from a long line of perverted monks."  
  
Nearly everyone started laughing, Miroku never looked more insulted.  
  
Kagome noticed it and said inbetween giggles, "Sorry, Miroku."  
  
Miroku scowled and pouted, Sango giggled and patted him in the back. "She does have a point, Houshi-sama."  
  
Miroku just pouted some more. Sango sighed and smiled at him.  
  
"Come on Miroku, cheer up!" Sango demanded, but Miroku seemed to ignore her.  
  
Inuyasha smirked and whispered to Kagome, "I know what'll cheer him up."  
  
Kagome looked at him, and whispered back, "What?"  
  
Inuyasha cleared his throat and glared at Miroku. "If you're just gonna sit there and pout all day, we'll never go to Sennyo!"  
  
Miroku perked up. "Really?"  
  
Inuyasha nodded.  
  
Miroku just smiled and hummed happily to himself, before Sango whacked him with an oversized boomerang, and muttered, "Pervert..."  
  
"Sennyo?" Kagome asked, blinking. What the heck was a 'sennyo'?  
  
"A village full of women," Sesshoumaru answered coolly. "It's the bozou's dream come true."  
  
Kagome looked at Miroku, who had a dreamy look on his face, and Sango seemed beyond pissed at Miroku and Inuyasha. She'd understand Miroku, but Inuyasha? Oh yeah, for promising to drop off Miroku at that Sennyo place.  
  
A cute little girl wearing a checkered kimono went up to Sesshoumaru and tugged on a red and white sleeve. "Sesshoumaru-sama, why would Miro-chan want to go to a village full of girls?"  
  
Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. "You'll know when you're older, Rin."  
  
Rin nodded, a bit disappointed, but still happy. Weird huh? "Okay."  
  
"Don't speak that way to Sesshoumaru-sama!" a green thing shouted at Rin.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin wailed. "Jaken-sama's being mean again!"  
  
Sesshoumaru just nodded and squished Jaken with his foot.  
  
Kagome sweatdropped. They were an odd bunch.  
  
"Oh yeah," Miroku said, snapping his fingers. "I forgot!" He grabbed Kagome's hands. "Lady Kagome, would you please bar--"  
  
Before Miroku could continue, Inuyasha and Sango were smacking and kicking him silly.  
  
"DAMN BOZOU!" Inuyasha shouted, kicking him in the stomach. "WHAT KIND OF IDIOT ARE YOU??"  
  
"THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO ASK SUCH QUESTIONS!" Sango snapped, slapping him. "OF ALL TIMES--!!"  
  
"Umm...what was he gonna ask me?" Kagome asked, watching silently as Miroku got beaten up.  
  
That's when she noticed that Kaede-sensei was dressed in miko robes--when she walked up to Kagome.  
  
"Don't worry," Kaede said simply. "He was gonna ask you to bare his child, anyways."  
  
Kagome glared at Miroku. "He can't be a monk."  
  
~*~  
  
After introductions, and explaining who they are and what they do, they came to the point they had to tell her why they were here.  
  
"You see," Miroku said, "we come from the Sengoku Jidai."  
  
Kagome nodded. Afterall, they were demons, and the green thing was real, why not come from several hundred years into the past?  
  
"We have came here to find the peices of the Shikon no Tama," Sango continued. "We found the jewel one day inside the Bone-Eater's Well, and one of us went to retreive it. He disappeared along with the jewel and we followed."  
  
"Somehow the jewel broke," the little boy, who happened to be Shippou said. "It broke into a bunch of peices and was scattered all over Japan!"  
  
"An evil hanyou named Naraku wanted the jewel," Kouga said. "He wanted to get rid of his human side so he could be more powerful. Naturally, we want to stop him, so we all ended up teaming up with each other."  
  
"Naraku's horrible," Kaede continued. "He's evil and twisted, and very powerful, not to mention sly. He's a coward, and has people do his dirty work--he doesn't actually show up, he uses puppets instead. He's the cause of many things bad that had happened."  
  
"We need someone who could sense shards," Inuyasha spoke up. "The only way to keep the jewel away from him and complete it ourselves was get someone who could sense these shards. And the only one we know of who could sense shards," he looked at Kagome with a soft expression, "was you."  
  
Kagome stared at him blankly, ignoring Kouga's growl, and Miroku putting an ofuda on the wolf demon to shut him up. "You mean I can sense shards?"  
  
Sesshoumaru nodded. "I was told you felt something was on the mantle when you were first over here. That item was a Shikon no Tama shard."  
  
"Remember that story about muggers?" Sango asked. "It really was a the Mistress Centipede, and that's where we got that shard."  
  
"Those shards give demons power!" Rin piped up.  
  
"You know the lame excuse about going to Canada?" Sango said. "That's not true. We actually stayed here so our injuries could heal from our fight with Naraku."  
  
"You fought with him?" Kagome questioned.  
  
Miroku nodded. "Yes. We didn't do much except get maimed. You should've seen Inuyasha! He had a hole straight through his stomach!"  
  
Kagome gaped at him. "You are kidding." No way in hell could he survive that. And be sitting crossed legged at one corner looking like he didn't have a hole through his stomach. That was impossible.  
  
"Nope," Miroku grinned. "It's almost healed. You can still see where the hole used to be."  
  
Inuyasha threw a TV remote at Miroku. "Shut up, stupid monk!"  
  
"It's true!" Miroku insisted.   
  
Kouga had managed to peel the ofuda off of his face. "Damn you monk! Wha'cha do that for?"  
  
Miroku sighed. "Why is everyone picking on me today?"  
  
"We wouldn't if you weren't perverted, shut up, and stop being all around annoying!" Inuyasha hissed.  
  
Miroku put a friendly arm around Inuyasha's shoulder. "I know! You're my best bud too!" he said brightly.  
  
"I need a replacement for you," Inuyasha said flatly.  
  
"Great!" Miroku removed his arm. "First I'm getting picked on, and then my best friend wants to replace me! Who has luck like that?"  
  
"Right," Sango said in a dry tone. "Anyways, back to the story." She looked at Kagome. "We need you to help us in our search for the shards--in modern day Tokyo!"  
  
"Isn't it dangerous?" Kagome asked, looking slightly worried. "Won't I be killed? I can only have so many injuries till I die!"  
  
Everyone but Kagome looked at Inuyasha.  
  
Inuyasha back up against the wall. He looked like he didn't like the stares he was getting. "What?"  
  
"Think," Sesshoumaru replied boredly.   
  
"You're going to be the bodyguard of my woman until I am ready," Kouga answered.  
  
"YOUR WOMAN????" Inuyasha and Kagome shouted simultaneously.  
  
Miroku did the only thing he could do to break up fights--grope lovely young women.  
  
"HENTAI!!!" Sango shouted, slapping him.  
  
That broke the soon to be fight between Inuyasha and Kouga.   
  
The apartment door suddenly flew open to reveal a lovely young woman, wearing a kimono and fan, with crimson eyes. And out from the dark hallway, a small white haired girl holding a mirror walked out.  
  
"And here's our intended targets," the woman with the fan said.  
  
"Naraku wants you dead," the white haired girl stated.  
  
"No really?" Inuyasha muttered sarcastically. "I thought he wanted to invite us to a tea party."  
  
"Shut up!" the woman hissed, holding up her fan, and the small girl's mirror glowed slightly.  
  
To be Continued...  
  
AN: Sucky ending for a chapter, I am well aware, anyhow...Review please! And tell me what you think! ^_^  
  
Kagome-Chan14, Douteki Dyou: Thanks!  
  
Trinity Kirara: Thank you for reviewing! And yes, I have a bit of a writer's block on Hardly There. But once I finish the eighth chapter, I should be updating more regularly--well, as regularly as I can with school.  
  
~Kumori Ryuuzaki 


	4. Author's Note

Author Notes: Updates  
  
As some of you know, school has started for some people. And of course, that means half a day of hell, than some more called homework. So, as usual, updates will be slower, and even more slower if I had writer's block. Updates may be weekly, I may not update for a month, but I want you to know, I am very much alive.  
  
FIC STATUS  
  
Hardly There: Okee Dokie, I have a writer's block on this, and some of you may know if you read Once Upon a Time. And it ain't helping with school. I need to sit down and think some more.  
  
Once Upon a Time: I don't really have a writer's block, just can't sit down and write much.  
  
Everyday Trickery: Brand new! Don't really have writer's block. I may delete the first chapter, not prologue, and rewrite it. It's a bit of a habit.  
  
Unrolling the Future: Major writer's block. When i started, I had lots of ideas, and now, I don't know where those ideas went. Damn. Anyways, I hope to update before Christmas at the latest.  
  
I got a small schedule, and if I follow it, I should spend the same amount of time on each fic. May it be thinking, writing, cursing at it, planning, loosing it. I may not completely follow it, like I may have a sudden inspiration for no good reason, or I just can't think about one story, but on another. But I hope the latter won't happen anytime soon.  
  
Anyways, my main purpose for posting this is to tell you lot that I may not update in forever. I plan to add at least a chapter to every story by the time this year is over, if not, you have premission to threaten me, blah blah, yada yada, after I smack myself silly.  
  
~Kumori Ryuuzaki 


End file.
